Ash stays Longhorns' No. 1 QB despite struggles

Updated 1:04 am, Tuesday, October 30, 2012

David Ash was disappointed at being pulled from the game against Kansas despite his poor showing. Reed Hoffmann/Associated Press

David Ash was disappointed at being pulled from the game against Kansas despite his poor showing. Reed Hoffmann/Associated Press

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Case McCoy avoided disaster to rally the Longhorns and save the day against the Jayhawks. Reed Hoffmann/Associated Press

Case McCoy avoided disaster to rally the Longhorns and save the day against the Jayhawks. Reed Hoffmann/Associated Press

Ash stays Longhorns' No. 1 QB despite struggles

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AUSTIN — David Ash didn't deny that getting benched bothered him. In fact, he said it hurt, even if he acknowledged nothing was going his way on a miserable afternoon at Kansas on Saturday.

But he stood on the Texas sideline and cheered Case McCoy anyway, and later proclaimed he was proud of the way his backup “saved the day.” And after the Longhorns' 21-17 victory led to speculation about the quarterback situation, Ash said he never worried about whether he'd lost his job.

He said he didn't care if fans preferred McCoy, didn't wonder if his teammates had lost faith in him, and didn't even fret about what his coaches might decide to do.

“I don't need people to be confident in me to find my confidence,” Ash said.

Monday, he found out he's not the only one who still believes in him. After waiting two days to announce a starter for this week's game at No. 18 Texas Tech, UT coach Mack Brown said Ash remains the man to lead the offense for the No. 23 Longhorns.

Although he praised McCoy for his performance on two late touchdown drives against the Jayhawks, Brown said Ash's rough start at Kansas wasn't enough to overshadow a strong season that still has him ranked 26th nationally in passing efficiency.

“David's body of work's been really good,” Brown said.

But no one — not Brown, offensive play-caller Bryan Harsin or Ash — tried to sugarcoat the ugliness of Ash's most recent outing. Against Kansas, he completed just 8 of 16 passes for 63 yards and badly misfired on interceptions.

“It was just a rough day,” Ash said. “Things weren't going my way. ... I don't think I handled it well. I got frustrated and tried to do too much.”

McCoy did the opposite. With UT trailing 14-7 in the fourth quarter, he entered the game, and the Longhorns tied the score with seven consecutive running plays (although statisticians later labeled Marquise Goodwin's 41-yard jet sweep a pass because McCoy pitched the ball forward).

After a Kansas field goal put UT down by three, McCoy narrowly avoided disaster. He began the next drive by throwing a ball that bounced off Kansas defensive back Greg Brown's jersey, then threw his next pass into the ground.

But an 18-yard fourth-down throw to Jaxon Shipley, a 39-yard pass to Mike Davis and a play-action 1-yard TD pass to D.J. Grant with 12 seconds left made McCoy the hero.

So did he expect to be rewarded by getting another chance against Tech?

“I always prepare to be the starter,” McCoy said. “That's all I can say about that.”

Brown and Harsin said that after McCoy's success at Kansas, they wouldn't hesitate to use him again if needed. But neither coach specified exactly how quick the hook on Ash would be if he struggles again.

“I'm not sure how much leeway there is there,” Harsin said.

As has been the case for two years, players declined to take sides in the Ash-McCoy debate, steadfastly insisting that there's little difference in how the quarterbacks run the offense or command the huddle.

And even though Ash is still the starter, that doesn't mean the players would be shocked if another change is made.

“You never know,” Davis said. “You have to be prepared to catch passes from either one of them.”

Injury update: UT linebacker Jordan Hicks, who has missed five games with an injury affecting his hip and groin, will not play this week, but Brown said he has not been ruled out for the season.

Tailback Malcolm Brown, who has missed four games with a sprained ankle, remains questionable.